At the end of last year (though it was only 2 weeks ago…), intelligent IPKat Eleonora Rosati brings us a fine year-end summary of the notable highlights in the world of copyright; plus, the “top 2 important issues” that are worthiest of attention in 2017.

From 1 January 2017, many copyright works have entered into the public domain. Guest Kat Rosie Burbidge sketches 6 creators and their masterpieces and celebrates their contributions to the human society.

Ever-productive Rosie Burbidge writes the story of those "pretending to be in the club" --several third parties passing themselves off as being members of The National Guild of Removers and Storers after their membership had ceased, and the extent to which the defendants should be liable for advertisements on third party websites.

Kat Friend Matthew James Elsmore hosts a fictional office party in the IP-World where we all work, and induces Trademark Law and TrademarkTroop to talk about themselves (yes as if they are alive) with readers (it's hard to describe my feeling after hearing "trade mark law’s speeches"). By doing this, he hopes to “spark a temporarily reflective mood of what is important and a look ahead in bright mood to how the future might pan out."

Former GuestKat Mike Mireles and Kat friend Henry Liao dicuss the fresh court decision (from the Supreme People’s Court of China) on the Michael Jordan trade mark/name-personality case. “The importance of this decision is hard to understate”, they conclude, “It sends a clear message that intellectual property rights will be enforced in China—even with substantial reliance interests by a Chinese company.”

What has been the most significant IP development in the UK this year? From a practical perspective, IPKat Eleonora Rosati answers the question by referring to the judgment of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in Cartier, which confirmed that owners of IP rights other than copyright can seek injunctions against intermediaries to block access to website where counterfeits are available.

Readers may remember that IPKat reported the C More case (see here and here) in 2015. But what happened to C More once the case got back to the Swedish Supreme Court? Katfriend Pär Öhman (Bildombudsmannen AB) explains the content of last year's decision.

Is a figurative sign representing a hand with a raised middle finger contrary to morality and public order? This is the question that the Swedish Patent and Registration Office had to address in an interesting application concerning a sign of this kind. Katfriend Nedim Malovic (Sandart & Partners) explains how things went -- it seems in trade mark law parodies do not really have a place, at least in Europe.

* Last but not least, the weekly routines: Never too Late and Around the IP Blogs by InternKat Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo: Round-up for the latest IP happenings including events, book release and highlighted blog posts.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Nyske Blokhuis.

PREVIOUSLY ON NEVER TOO LATE

Never Too Late 128 [week ending on Sunday 25 December] | Sunday Surprises | A TITANIC trade mark dispute | Book Review: two new methodology books for EQE candidates: Smart in C and Tactics for D| Around the IP Blogs| Around the IP Blogs | Before there was copyright there was censorship: the tale of "The Feast in the House of Levi” by Veronese | Permission to appeal in patent cases - farewell to the Pozzoli approach | Permission to appeal in patent cases - farewell to the Pozzoli approach | EPO bows to EU Commission on patentability of products of essentially biological processes | Monday Miscellany | Groundless threats - Nvidia v Hardware Labs |